1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a powered wheel for a vehicle such as a wheelchair, an electrical bicycle, or a motorcycle, especially to a vehicle which has a wheel driven by power but without using an independent electric motor.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 1 illustrates a previous invention of handwheel mechanism for a wheelchair powered by electricity, a Taiwan Patent No. I278308 published on Patent Official Gazette on Apr. 11, 2007. The Taiwan patent prior art I278308 is made by the same inventor of this application. The handwheel mechanism 10 comprises a wheel 11, a plurality of frames 14, a plurality of permanent magnets 13, and a plurality of electromagnets 16. The permanent magnets 13 are disposed along the wheel 11. The frames 14 are fixed on an axle 17 of the wheel 11, and the electromagnets 16 are disposed on the frames 14. The handwheel mechanism 10 is made for a hand to grab for turning. A plurality of permanent magnets 13 in a form of NS pole pairs are evenly distributed along an inner surface of the wheel 11 facing the axle 17. FIG. 1 shows a plurality of NS paired permanent magnets, radially and evenly arranged along the inner surface of the wheel 11. The permanent magnets 13 occupies full circle of the inner surface of the wheel 11 facing the axle 17.
A plurality of electromagnets 16 which are capable to form temporarily NS paired magnets when energized, are configured in an inner side of the wheel 11, and magnetically couple to the permanent magnets 13 for turning the wheel 11 with respect to the axle 17.
FIG. 1 shows that a plurality of electromagnets 16 are radially configured in an inner side with respect to the permanent magnets 13. The electromagnets 16 are divided into two groups. A first group of the electromagnets 121 are fixed on an outer end of a first frame 141. The inner end of the first frame 141 is fixed on the axle 17. A second group of the electromagnets 123 are fixed on an outer end of the second frames 143. The inner end of the second frame 143 is fixed on the axle 17. The first group of the electromagnets 121 are in a position symmetrical to the second group of the electromagnets 123 with respect to the axle 17.
A space d0 is formed in between the permanent magnets 13 and the electromagnets 16 so that the wheel 11 which carrying the permanent magnets 13 is capable of rotating with respect to the electromagnets 16.